Axle-box



2o I employ a box at the bottom of the casing,

i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN W. SKILTON, OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, ASSIGNOR TO EMILY D. SKILTON, OF

AXVLE'- LEE, OF LINTON, FLORIDA.

BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 578,949, dated March16, 1897.

Application filed August 2 9, 1 8 9 6 To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN IV. SKILTON, a citi- Zen of the United States,residing at Miami, in the county of Dade, State of Florida, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Axle-Boxes, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and 1o useful improvements inaxle-boxes; and it has for its object, among others, to improve uponthis class of devices in such a manner that the axle will be thoroughlylubricated, so as to run for a great length of time without being againoiled. I provide against the waste of the lubricant and employ Wicks,preferably of sponge, that serve by capillary attraction to supply theoil to the bearing and also to keep the journal thoroughly clean.

supported upon springs and having openings for the passage of the wicks.The inner end of the casing is bored out larger than the axle and deepenough to receive packing and a follower, which is drawn to place andheld adjustably by bolts or rods. The wooden box within the casing isprovided with a felt strip at the back end and also along its upperface, which. corresponds with and lits the 3o under side of the axle,the box being held in position by springs bearing against the outer endthereof and the felt strip serving also as a means of keeping the axlesupplied with oil.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appearand the novel features thereof will be specifically defined by theappended claims.

The invention in this instance resides in the peculiar combinations andthe construe tion, arrangement, and adaptation of parts, all as morefullyhereinafter described, shown in the drawings, and then particularlypointed out in the claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings,which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of thisspecification, and in which- Figure 1 is a central vertical longitudinalsection showing the improved axle-box. Fig. 2 is a verticalcross-section on the line 2 2 of Serial No. 604,275. (No model.)

Fig. l, looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 3 is a view lookingat the inner end of the follower, which is removed. Fig. 4 is an endelevation of the wooden box removed.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts 5 5 throughout the severalviews.

Referring now to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates theouter casing, which is similar to the standardbox now in general useexcept as hereinafter specified. 6o Instead of the usual hinged door atthe outer end this end is closed by the plate or cover B, which issecured to the end of the casing by screws C or analogous means. Theinner end of this casing is adapted to receive the flange D of thefollower-plate E, as shown in Fig. l.

F is packing of any suitable character, disposed between the inner endof the flange of the follower-plate and the inwardly-extend- 7o ingannular flange G of the casing, the follower-plate having a iange e,which bears against the inner end of the casing, as indicated. 'lhefollower-plate is drawn in and there held by means of the rods H, whichpass'through holes h in the iange e of the said plate and receive nutsupon their other ends, which pass through the end plate B, as shown. Bythis means the packing can Abe compressed as may be required.

The bore of the follower-plate fits snugly around the axle, as shown,and the packing also lits snugly about the axle and prevents waste ofthe oil or lubricant at the inner end of the casing. In fact, theconstruction is such that there can be no waste at any point.

Upon the upper side of the axle within the casing is the bearing-block Land the wedgeblock J, of usual construction and mode of operation. 9o

K is a wooden box supported upon elliptic springs L', only one of whichis shown, which rest upon the bottom of the casing, as shown, their endsbeing free for movement and their arched portions bearing against theunder side of said box. This box is concaved upon its upper face to fitthe curvature of the axle, and it has a plurality of channels M for thepassage of the wicks N, which are by preference of sponge, and whichbear against the roo under side of the axle and serve to conduct the oilthereto and also to keep the axle at all times thoroughly clean.

O is a thick piece of felt arranged at the inner end of this box and itsupper edge shaped to fit the axle against which it bears. This felt iskept in position by the springs P, (only one being shown,) which arearranged at the front end of the box and between the same and the frontend or plate B, and are preferably entered in holes Q in the front endof the box, so as to prevent their displacement. The number of springsemployed for this purpose may be varied.

R is the axle.

Modiiieations in the details of construction may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of itsadvantages. A

NV hat is claimed as new isl. The combination of the easing, the boxtherein with passages, the springs pressing upon the under side of thebox, means interposed between the outer end of the box and the innerface of the end of the casing and the wicks in said passages and bearingagainst the under side of the axle, as set forth.

2. The combination of the casing, the box therein and having verticalpassages, the

springs beneath the box, and means acting on the outer end of the box topress its inner end against said packing, the wicks located in saidpassages, and the packing at the inner vend of the box, as set forth.

3. The combination of the casing, the box, the springs beneath the same,the wicks, the felt strip at the inner end of the box, and the springsacting against the outer end of the box, substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

4. The combination, with the casing having a flange, and thefollower-plate having an inwardly-extending flange, of the packingbetween said flanges, the box within the casing, the springs acting onthe outer end of said box and the wicks of sponge passed through saidbox, substantially as specified.

5. The combination, with the box having vertical passages, and the wickspassed therethrough, of the springs bearing upon. the under side of saidbox, the felt strip at the inner end of the box, and the springs betweenthe outer end of the box and the inner face of the end plate,substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

J OHN W. SKILTON.

'Vitnesses':

J. TOME REYNoLDs, C. RooNEY.

